Job 12:6

The tents of marauders are at peace,

   Those who provoke God are secure,

      Into whose hand God provides abundantly.

 

Job is countering the prosperity gospel his friends are espousing. I have a vague alignment with the book today as I sit in the hospital with a 90-year-old who is suffering from an unknown issue that is preventing him from standing. His spirits are very similar to those of Job at the beginning of the book. I pray that he finds some joy here on earth before he goes to meet Jesus.

‘Tents’ was also ‘tabernacle’, but for once tent seemed better. ‘Marauders’ was also ‘robbers’ and ‘despoilers’, but marauders seemed more powerful. ‘At peace’ was also ‘prosper’, ‘undisturbed’, ‘untroubled’, and ‘tranquil’.

‘Provoke’ was also ‘anger’. ‘Secure’ was also ‘confident’ or left off.

The third stitch had a much different idea in some versions with something like ‘Those who carry their god in their hand.’ Another version had something like ‘and those who have deceived Him.’ I do not consider it possible to deceive God, so I ignored that one. I also preferred the idea that people ignore the fact that God provides over the idea that they honestly think a little thing can have impact on the real world. The final rendition was more of a what’s left than anything else.

I read a report where someone disagreed with my findings. I assumed he was incompetent or lying to serve his client. I hesitated to write that to my client, but in thinking back on the day, I remembered that I can be judged to be “some phrase that I cannot remember but feels like” ‘caustic’. I decided that I actually care about being honest more than being right or paying attention to the feelings of others. People who are not incompetent or dishonest probably respect that about me. I guess I really don’t care if the dishonest or incompetent like me.

I have read from the Bible many times in my life. I have learned much from it, and I have attempted to incorporate as much of it into my life as I could understand or absorb. Looking back, the ten commandments seem pretty easy to understand. I still get parts wrong, even if only mentally. As I sit here contemplating Job and my father-in-law, I remember that the feelings of Job are feelings that each of us will encounter if we live long enough. The pain, the helplessness, the inability to see good coming from our situations.

There are selfish reasons I want my father-in-law to make a miraculous recovery. But as I thought about what I could say, I hesitated to ask him if he had something positive to look forward to if he recovered. If he said no, the negativity could be overwhelming. Also, I felt that hearing how joy from serving God might not compare to the joy from being with Him. I know my mom felt ready to go well before she went. He has even said multiple times before this incident that my mom did it the right way.

I feel as mature as I have ever been, but I also recognize the gap between where I am and where I can be when I turn 90. I have always wanted to shoot for the 120 years that Bible mentions somewhere, but I have learned that I will only live as long as I can serve the Lord. For my father-in-law, that would only be 30 years, but I have done a lot the last 30 years, and I can see that the best parts are when I can let God use me. I pray that I can be of service to my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife through whatever comes our way next. But it will be in the little things as only God’s hands can provide abundantly.

 

(Written 5/1, Posted 5/2, Job 259)